Indicating and recording flow-meter.



J. WILKNSON. INDICATING AND RECORDING FLOW METER.' APPLICATION HLED' OCT. 9, 1912.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

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J. WILKINSON. lNDlCA TlNG AND RECORDING FLQW METER.

APPLICATION'FILED OCT. 9. 19 12.

" Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Inventor" James Wil inson 3 Witnesses:

JAMES WILKINSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INDICAI'ING AND RECORDING FLOW-METER.

Application filed October 9, 1912. Serial N 0. 724,735.

To all 107mm 2'25 may concern Be it known that I, JAMES WVILKINSQN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Indicating and Recording i*low-ldeters, of 'which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to instruments .for indicating and recording the flow of a fluid through a conduit, and its object is to provide an improved structure of this type. In the ordinary type of flow meter, a pressuredifference device such as a Venturi or Pitot tube or the like is inserted in the conduit through which flows the fluid to be metered. The differing pressure regions of this pressure difference device are connected respectively with the two legs of a U-shaped tube or equivalent indicator in which a mass of mercury is movable to and fro by the variations in pressure. .My invention has special reference to this type of indicating instrument, and the features of novelty will appear. from the following detailed description and appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the instrument, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, partly broken away on one side. Fig. 3 shows one of the hooks for suspending the photographic recording apparatus. Figs. 4, and 5 are views somewhat similar to Fig. 1, showing respectively two modified constructions. Fig. 6 shows the instrument connected to a pressure difference creating device arranged in a conduit.

The body of the instrument is a circular casing having a. dished top 1 provided with lugs 2 for attaching it to a suitable support. Into said top is screwed a hemispherical bottom 3 forming with said top a hemispherical chamber i for the mercury 5. From the center of the top rises a vertical stem 6 through which runs a small upright passage 7. which is continued downward by a tube 8 depending into a well 9 in the bottom 3. The well is only a little larger than the tube, so that the mercury-has to pass down through a comparatively narrow annular space in order to enter the lower end of the small upright passage 7. This feature serves to throttle the flow of the mercury, and dampen out any minor fluctuations, also to prevent the water on the leading side by- Specification of Letters Patent.

" ing the .the column being visible 7 upon the slowly revolving sensitive paper Patented Feb. 1, rare.

.1 passing the mercury if the meter isseverely oscillated or jarred. The stem 6 is counterbored for the greater portion of its length to receive a glass tube 10 whose bore forms a continuation of the passage 7. Surroundglass tube is a spacer '11, which has liquidtight packing 12 at each end. A cupped phig 13 is screwed into the upper end of the stem to press upon the packing 12. Holes 14- in said plug connect the tube 10 with a pipe 15 running to the lower pressure region of the pressure difference device in the conduit. The higher pressure region thereof connects by a pipe 16 with the an- 1ialular space above the mercury in the cham- Referring to F ig; 6 I have shown a pres sure difference creating device in the form of a nozzle plug 1 arranged in the conduit 2 and connected to pipes 15 and 16 in the usual manner. It will-be understood that any suitable form of pressure difference creating device may be used. A longitudinal slot. 17 is cut through the stem 6 and the spacer 11 to expose to view the glass tube 10. Inasmuch as the level of the mercury is below the bottom of said slot, the passage 7 and the lower end of the glass tube are filled with an opaque liquid 18, the upper, end of through the lower portion of the slot 17. Above thez'opaque liquid the glass tube is filled with a clear liquid 19, "such aswater. In orderito make a permanent record of the fluid flow, the stem 6 and spacer 11 are slotted le'hgthwise at the back so as to permit light; to pass through from the front and impinge upon a able manner, preferably by meansof hooks 24L engaging hcadedstuds 25 on said stemf The casing has a longitudinal slot registering with the slots in the stem and spacer. A glass lens or prism-26 fillsthe front slot in the stem to focus the light upon. the sensitive paper in a thin upright line. Thedrum and paper are revolved slowly byclockwork 27.

The differences in pressure in the leading and trailing pipes 16 and 15 cause-the Inercury to rise and fall in the passage 7, and with it the visible column of opaque liquid, whose varying heights are photographed Fig. 4- shows means for multiplying the niovmnents oi the mercury by providing an auxiliary chamb'e 28 at the center of motion oi the hemispherical chamber 4. The chamber is lilled partly with mercury and partly with. opaque liquid and is considerably larger in diameter than the bore of the tube 10, so that any i'novcment of the mercury will cause a greater rise and fall ogt the opaque liquid in said tube in proportion to the ratio between the squares of" the diameters of the chamber J8 and the bore of the tube 10.

Fig. shows a chainbeirfit'l for the mercury an opaque liquid but the bore of the tube 10 considerably larger than in the previous figures. There is also an indicator of the mercury level, preferably a small ball 2%) floating on the mercury in the chamber and. carrying a wire which projects up into view inside the. tube 10, so that the observer can always know the height of the mercury in the chamber 28. The ball also acts as a valve to close the exits from the upper and lower end of: the chamber 28 in case of any disarrangement or brealcage'of the apparatus or other abnormal all) condition causing excessive pressure in one leg;- or the other. of the meter, By this means the mercury cannot be blown out of the manometer over into the main and lost.

in accordance with the provisions of the.

patentstatutes, 1 have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understoodthat the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

Vt hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A steam flow meter, comprising a casing having a hemispherical chamber for mercury, a stem rising centrally therefrom and having a. central passage, a, glass tube In. said s em CODHXIUIHCHUHQ with said passage, an-ii means for connecting the mercury chamber and said glass tube respectively w th 1-! higher and lower pressure regions of a pre urc-dil'lercncc device.

it steam flow meter, comprising a casing having a? dished top and a bowl-shaped.

bottom forming a hemispherical chamber for mercury, a stem rising; centrally from said top and having' a central countcrbored passace, a glass tul i in said c nmterbore,-and means ior connecting: the top of he chamber and thc upper end of the glass tube respectively with the higher and lower pressure reg ons olr a pressure diiference device.

i r 3. 1A] steam flow meter, comprising a hem- Y 1, ,U i isphcrical chamber, a mass of mercury therein, a stem rising centrally from said chamber and having a central passage, a well in the bottom of said casing, a. tube connecting with said passage and depending into said well. a glass tube in said stem, :1 quantity of opaque liquid in said glass tube, and a slot in said stem for exposing said liquid.

A steam flow meter, comprising; a hem-- ispherical chamber for mercury, a slotted stem, a glass tube therein con'nnunicitinc; with said chamber and conta'ii'iing opaque liquid, means for connectingthe. higher and lower pressure regions of-a pressure diil'er-- cnce device with said chamber and tube respectively, and means with which said opaque column of liquid cooperates to show the flow.

5. A' steam flow meter, comprising a hemispherical chamber for mercury, a slotted stem containing a glass tube conunumcating with said chamber, means for connecting the higher and lower pressure regions of a pressure-difference device with said chamber and tube respectively, and means with which the liquid in the tube cooperates to show the flow.

6. A steam flow meter, comprising a casing having a dished top and a bowl-shaped bottom forming a hemispherical chamber, a tubular slotted stem rising centrally from said top, a glass tube therein, an auxiliary chamber in said stem, a mass of mercury partly filling the two chambers, and aquantity of opaque liquid'in said auxiliary chamber and the glass tube.

7. A steam flow meter, comprising a casing having a dished top and a bowl-shaped bottom forming a hemispherical chamber, a tubular slotted stem rising centrally from said top, a glass tube, therein, an auxiliary chamber in said stem, a. mass of mercury partly filling the two chambers, a quantity of opaque liquid in said auxiliary chamber and the glass tube, a float valve resting on the mercury in the auxiliary chamber and adapted to close the entrance and exit thereof, and a wire extending from said float up into then-lass tube to indicate the level-0f the mercury.

8. A steam llow meter having a wide chambered base comprisiim a lower section and a top, an uprighttubular central stem integral with said top, an extension of said stem depending from said top into the cham-' ber, a longitudinal slot in said stem, a glass tube in said stem, packing for said tube above and below said slot, and means for connccting'thc chamber in the base and the space above the top of the tube, respectively, with the higher andlower pressure regions of a prcssure-dilierence device.

9. 'A steam flow meter having a wide chambered base, comprising a lower section having a well in its bottom and a top having an upright integral tubular stem, a tubular plug de ending from said top into said Well, a longitudinal slot in said stem, a glass tube in said stem extending above and below said slot, and means for connecting the high and low pressure regions of a pressure-difference device with the chambered base and with the upper end of said tube, respec-,- tivel -l0. A S tfifilll flow meter having a base containing a chamber, a body et mercury inv said chamber, a tubular stern rising from the base and having an extension projecting down into said mercury, said stem having a glazed longitudinal slot, a float in said stem having a rod whose upper end is observable through said slot, and means for connecting said chamber and the upper end of said stem respectively with the high and 'low pressure regions of a pressure-difierence device.

flfihe combination of a U-tube manometer ming a valve seat in one of its legs, and a float valve which rides on the indicating fluid below said seat, said valve being adapted to seat on said seat to cut of communication between the two sides of the 'munication manometer in case of excess pressure on one side thereof.

12. The combination of a U-tube manom-i side thereof.

13. The combination of a U-tube manom eter having spaced valve seats in one, of'its legs, and a float valve which rides on the indicating fluid between said seats, said valve being adapted to seat on said seats to out 01f communication between the two sides of the manometer in case of excess pressure on one side or the other of the manometer. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of October, 1912. JAMES WILKINSON.

Witnesses:

I BENJAMIN B. HULL,

HELEN ORFORD. 

